HB1558eng 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB1558 Engrossed LRB097 10218 ASK 50414 b

AN ACT concerning wind energy.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Lake Michigan Offshore Wind Energy Council Act.

Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:

"Council" means the Lake Michigan Offshore Wind Energy Council created under this Act.

"Department" means the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

"Local government" means county, township, or municipality.

Section 10. The Lake Michigan Offshore Wind Energy Council.

(a) The Council is created as a separate entity within the Department of Natural Resources and shall consist of the Directors or Chairman, or their designees, of the following 4 State agencies:

(1) The Department of Natural Resources.

(2) The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

(3) The Illinois Power Agency.

(4) The Illinois Commerce Commission.

(b) The Director of Natural Resources shall serve as chairperson of the Council. The chairperson shall select the following public members to serve on the Council:

(1) One individual representing a statewide environmental organization.

(2) One individual representing the tourism industry.

(3) One resident of the State representing an Illinois institution of higher education.

(4) One Cook County resident representing lakefront communities.

(5) One Lake County resident representing lakefront communities.

(6) One individual representing an electrical utility industry.

(7) One individual representing an independent transmission company.

(8) One individual representing the offshore wind energy industry.

(9) One individual representing local government officials.

(10) One individual representing a regional environmental organization.

(c) The Speaker of the House, Minority Leader of the House, Senate President, and Minority Leader of the Senate shall each appoint one member of the General Assembly to serve on the Council.

(d) Members of the Advisory Council shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties as members of the Advisory Council.

Section 15. Duties of the Council. The Council shall examine the following topics:

(1) Criteria that can be used to review applications for offshore wind development.

(2) Criteria for identifying areas that are favorable, acceptable, and unacceptable for offshore wind development.

(3) A recommended process for ensuring public engagement.

(4) Options for how the State should be compensated for Lake Michigan bottomland leasing.

(5) A summary of the lessons learned from other domestic and international offshore wind development experiences including, but not limited to, those related to public policy, regulatory, and siting concerns for offshore wind development.

(6) Recommendations for needed State legislation and regulations governing offshore wind farm development. The Council shall assess and make recommendations on these topics and report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by December 31, 2011.

Section 20. Repeal of Act. This Act shall be repealed on July 1, 2012.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2011.